Pearses 1-14 Ballinasloe 1-10: Following an even first-half in Duggan Park yesterday evening, Pearses opened a seven point lead with 10 minutes to go and looked good for the win. Ballinasloe cut the gap to just three with two minutes remaining. A 21 yard free in injury time finished in the Pearses net and looked to have levelled the game, before being disallowed.
Pearses started well, but were not converting their scoring chances, hitting three early wides. The first score of the game was a Pearses goal from Dylan Grady, taking on his marker after a good catch. Oisín Flannery opened his account for Pearses in reply to Ballinasloe’s first point.
By the 17th minute Ballinasloe had drawn level, 0-4 to 1-1. Cian Murphy pushed Pearses back in front with a great point on the run from the left corner. The teams went point for point in the remaining minutes of the opening half and Pearses led 1-5 to 0-6 at the break.
Oisín Flannery’s class shone through in the third quarter. He landed five points in-a-row, four frees, to put Pearses seven to the good. Ballinasloe’s best period of the game yielded 1-3 and got them right back in contention, before that disallowed goal.
Following the let off Pearses added further points from Man of the Match Flannery and Dean Reilly, in the nine minutes of injury time. Another super win for this panel, to add to U13 and U14 titles. Captain Shane Hynes accepted the cup from County Juvenile Chairman Mike Hehir (Tuam). Well done to the panel and management team of Mick Carr, Anthony Kenny, Dessie McCabe and Declan Moran.
Pearses: D McCabe; E McCabe, R Flannery, N Moran; S Doran, S Hynes, M Hennelly; J Barrett, D Grady (1-1); G Kenny, O Flannery (0-10, 8f), C Murphy (0-1); D Healy, D Reilly (0-2), T Carr. Subs: C Burke, J Mitchell, J Friel, L Mitchell, R Hynes, B Kelly, E Lally.